The sauce in this broccoli chicken stir fry is perfectly “saucy,” making it ideal for serving over steamy rice. Homemade Chicken and Broccoli is an easy 30-minute meal, and it has the best stir-fry sauce.
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Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry satisfies the craving for takeout, and you’ll feel good about serving this to your family. It’s healthier than going out, and it’s simple to make into a meal served over cooked white rice, brown rice, or even cooked quinoa.
If you loved my famous Beef and Broccoli, then you will love this chicken stir-fry. It’s loaded with tender chicken, mushrooms, and fresh broccoli. I hope you’re inspired to make this easy and tasty dinner!
Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry Video
Ingredients & Substitutions for Stir Fry
- Chicken – we used boneless skinless chicken breast, but chicken tenders or even thighs would be delicious here.
- Stir Fry Veggies – We love the combination of broccoli, onions, and mushrooms for an authentic Chicken Broccoli Stir fry. You could sub the broccoli with snap peas or zucchini and sub onions with julienned carrots. I don’t recommend frozen veggies sicne they can get mushy and water down the sauce.
- Chicken Broth – this adds more flavor, but water can easily be substituted.
- Soy Sauce – Since different brands have different amounts of salt, add soy sauce to taste. You can always add more at the end, but you can’t take salt out of a dish. For gluten-free, use Tamari sauce.
- Sesame Oil – this one ingredient gives the sauce authentic Chinese stir fry flavor. Do not skip it.
- Ginger & Garlic – fresh is best for stir fry, but in a pinch, you can substitute 1 tsp fresh garlic for 1/2 tsp garlic powder and substitute 1 tsp fresh ginger for 1/8-1/4 tsp ground ginger.
- Brown Sugar – we used 2 Tablespoons of packed light brown sugar. You can substitute with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of liquid sweetener, such as honey, or add it to taste.
- Corn Starch – using cornstarch as a thickener helps keep this gluten-free.
Pro Tip for Peeling Ginger:
The easiest way to peel ginger is to scrape the skin away with the side of a teaspoon. Once it’s peeled, finely grate it on a box grater or a microplane.
How to Make Broccoli and Chicken Stir Fry:
- Make the Sauce: Combine all of the sauce ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar. Warm broth will help the sugar dissolve easily.
- Cook Chicken: Cut chicken into small 3/4″ bite-sized pieces and season lightly with black pepper. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat with 1 Tbsp oil. Add chicken and cook 1 minute undisturbed then stir fry 5 minutes until golden and just cooked through. Remove chicken to a bowl.
- Stir-Fry Veggies: In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp oil, broccoli florets, sliced onion and mushrooms and stir fry 3 minutes until mushrooms are crisp and vibrant green then reduce heat. Do not overcook the veggies at this point or they can get mushy while cooking in the sauce.
- Add Stir Fry Sauce: Give the sauce a quick stir in case there was settling and add it to the skillet. Simmer the sauce over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until thickened and garlic and ginger have mellowed in flavor. To thin the sauce, add water as needed and you can add more soy sauce to taste.
- Return Chicken to the Pan and stir until heated through then serve over white rice garnished with sesame seeds if desired.
The KEY to Making the Best Stir Fry
A stir-fry is essentially flash-cooked on a very hot skillet, with a cooking time of less than 15 minutes. Since this recipe moves fast, you want to have every ingredient chopped, measured, prepped and ready to use before you fire up the skillet. If serving with white rice, you’ll want to put the rice on the stove first, then cook your stir fry. You’ll want to bookmark our tutorial for Perfect White Rice.
Storing and Reheating Stir Fry
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry reheats well so it’s a great option for meal prepping.
- Refrigerate Leftovers – Once the chicken broccoli stir fry has cooled to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. I prefer not to freeze since the broccoli can become mushy.
- Reheating – It’s always best to reheat in the same method that the dish was cooked. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until hot. You can also reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments until heated through. If needed, you can add a little splash of water when reheating to bring back some moisture.
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
The sauce in this stir fry is perfectly "saucy," making it ideal for serving over hot and fluffy white rice. This recipe moves fast so start cooking your rice first and be sure to prep and chop all of your stir fry ingredients and make the sauce before cooking the stir fry.
Ingredients
Servings: 4 people
Chicken and Broccoli:
- 1 lb chicken breast, (boneless skinless), cut into 3/4" pieces
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil, (I used extra light olive oil), divided
- 1 lb broccoli, cut into florets (about 5 cups)
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced into strips
- 1/2 lb white button mushrooms, thickly sliced
Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce, (use Tamari for gluten free), or added to taste
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed (or honey to taste)
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated (lightly packed)
- 1 tsp garlic (2 small cloves), grated
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more to season chicken
Instructions
- Make the Sauce – In a small bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients and whisk to dissolve sugar and corn starch (warm broth will help dissolve the sugar faster). Set sauce aside.
- Prepare Chicken – cut chicken into small bite-sized pieces (no more than 3/4” thick) and season lightly with pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil. Add chicken in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute to get a good sear then stir fry for another 5 minutes or until golden brown just cooked through then remove to a bowl and loosely cover to keep warm.
- Stir Fry Veggies – In the same skillet, add another 1 Tbsp oil along with broccoli florets, sliced onion and sliced mushrooms. Stir fry 3 minutes or until mushrooms are softened and broccoli is crisp-tender then reduce heat to medium/low.
- Add Sauce – Give the sauce a quick stir in case there was any settling of starch and pour all of it over the vegetables. Simmer 3-4 minutes or until sauce is thickened and garlic and ginger are mellowed in flavor. To thin the sauce, add water a tablespoon at a time.
- Combine and Serve – Return chicken to the pan and stir another 30 seconds or until heated through. Add more soy sauce to taste if needed and serve over hot rice.
Nutrition Per Serving
325kcal Calories21g Carbs31g Protein14g Fat
Nutrition Facts
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
325
% Daily Value*
Fat
14
g
22
%
Saturated Fat
2
g
13
%
Cholesterol
73
mg
24
%
Sodium
586
mg
25
%
Potassium
1039
mg
30
%
Carbohydrates
21
g
7
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
10
g
11
%
Protein
31
g
62
%
Vitamin A
740
IU
15
%
Vitamin C
105
mg
127
%
Calcium
68
mg
7
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Filed Under
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This was sooo good! I’m not a mushroom girl, so I used some snap peas instead and added a bit of red pepper that was about to go bad. Super yummy stir fry. I was planning to keep some leftovers for lunch the next day, but everything got devoured!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this stir fry, Krystal! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I don’t usually cook using recipes, but I am so glad that I found, and used, this one. It is delicious. I’ve made it twice now: once with chicken and once with tofu. The first time I made it, I accidentally doubled the mushrooms, and it was still excellent.
Good to hear that, Meredith! I’m glad you gave this recipe a try and loved it.
how much Chicken Broth should I use for 1 serving i would really like to make this
Hi Tony, I recommend clicking “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post, it will take you to our printable recipe where you’ll have the option to change the number of servings. Hover over the number of servings highlighted in red and slide it to how many servings you would like to make. I hope that helps!
I tried your chicken marsala it was great, my husband loved it. Do you have a cook book out?
That’s good news, Barbara. Thanks for sharing, I don’t have a cookbook out yet but I am already working on it. Please stay tuned.
I just saw this and I have all the ingredients at hand. I am just wondering if I can use frozen broccoli because I have a lot of it right now? Thank you 🙂
Hi Summer, one of my readers reported the following for using frozen broccoli: “I use frozen all the time I steam in the microwave first to drain any excess water and it cuts down the time it takes to cook. I just throw them in after the mushrooms cook down.” I hope that helps!
I look forward to making this, it sounds tasty and not difficult at all–good for me!
One thing to suggest, it is helpful if you include how many servings this makes so I can double if need me when having someone over. Thank you!
Hi Audrey! The serving size can be found at the beginning of the print-friendly recipe card (located at the bottom of the recipe post). The nutrition label shows counts “per serving.” Hope that helps!
I made this last night exactly as directed including the fresh ginger and sesame oil and it was delicious! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Lisa!
Hi Natasha, love all your recipes 🙂 especially gluten free ones! (Celiacs :() Curious what size skillet you used for this recipe? Saw your shop on Amazon and would like to purchase. Thanks!
Hi Carole, We used this Large 12″ Fry Pan.
Amazing recipe Natasha! Thank you for sharing! I’m new to the Chinese/Asian style recipes and me and my family started loving them and I started searching for more of them! This recipe is a keeper!
You’re welcome! Thanks for the review and I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Simple and delicious! Will definitely make again, everyone loved it. Has been added to our meal rotation!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review. Pete!
I still make and love the original recipe that used flour and honey.I also do a beef version and sub in boc choy and asparagus or whatever suits my fancy at the time.This recipe is a great starting point if you are experimental but also stands on its own…..uummmm.
Sounds good and yes, it is so versatile. Feel free to change it up a bit according to your preference. Thank you for the review, Darcy.
I am getting ready to make this but want to add noodles or spaghetti to the stir fry instead of serving over rice. Would I have to just make more sauce or are there other changes?
Hi John, I recommend reading through the recipe comments. Several of our readers mentioned substituting with noodles instead. I hope you love this recipe!
Just made this tonight and it was delicious! My husband loved it as well. Will make again. I love Chinese Five Spice so used that as my seasoning on the chicken…yum.
Sounds great, thanks for sharing! I’m glad the both of you loved this recipe.
This was delicious. Instructions were perfect & sauce delicious. Added carrots, edamame, celery. YUM! YUM! Our go to stir fry recipe.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Louise!
Omg that was amazing I just cooked this tonight Natasha my husband and I loved every mouth full 😋thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes sending love from Sydney Australia 😘💗
So wonderful to hear that, Sue. Thank you for the awesome review and feedback!
This has become one of my favorite recipes! I’m very picky, so I changed it up a bit. I have done it many different ways, but the way I have been doing it is broccoli, zucchini, onions, and carrots. Like a lot of other people have said, I also double the sauce. I serve it over white rice. My friends and I love it!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Matthew!
I am so sorry to report that this is not something that I will make again. It was bland (tasteless) and I don’t know why. Everything was measured. I looked wonderful but didn’t taste the way it looked. I’m going to try the leftovers today to see if letting it sit overnight added anything to the flavor. So sorry.
I’ve always followed the same recipe and it’s never bland, I’m not sure why it turned out that way. Feel free to add more seasoning to the chicken next time if you prefer that.
My family didn’t like it either. I’m gonna say because recipe doesn’t call for salt? Or maybe I missed the salt somewhere. Idk.
I never write reviews for recipes but this one is SO delicious!!! I love how saucy it is because the leftovers are perfectly saucy and not dry. Love adding some sriracha or red pepper flakes to add a kick!
Hi Maddie, thank you for taking the time to write your review, we appreciate it! I’m happy to know that you loved this recipe.
I tried this with a few modifications.
First of all, I live in a small rural town. I just couldn’t get sesame oil (or seeds for that matter). So I used just olive oil.
Second, it took longer before i could make it than I expected. The mushrooms went bad and I replaced them with carrots.
The sauce ended up pretty sweet, kinda like a glaze like for sweet potatoes. The carrots really reminded me of sweet potatoes. I’m thinking of adding some cayenne next time to see if it gives a more spicy and sweet profile.
But yeah it worked pretty well even if it didn’t taste particularly “Chinese”.
Stir fry is pretty versatile as long as you’ve got the basic steps and ingredient combos. And I’m actually growing more interesting in the different flavor profiles that can come out of it.
Thank you for sharing your experience making this recipe. I hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes that you will try.
What’s the difference between using honey and brown sugar? Which one do you recommend
Planning to make this tonight. Do you have any suggestions to make this Keto friendly?
Hi Sally, I haven’t tried a substitution like that to advise, but here’s what one of my readers shared “Made this for dinner tonight! It was terrific! Made it KETO by using Stevia instead of brown sugar and did not put it over rice. Shared this recipe with friends and will definitely be making this again! Great recipe. Thank You, Natasha” I hope this helps!
Absolutely fantastic recipe. Sauce is delectable, chicken broth is a must as I feel if water were to be used the flavor would have been flat. I scaled this up to a double for a two night meal. I also cut out the mushrooms and used 12 oz of small frozen broccoli florets along with 3 heaping cups of frozen peas and carrots along with the onion. For my cooking oil I used avocado oil which has a higher smoke point.
I cooked the 2lbs of chicken I used in a 3 qt pan and the vegetables in a 8 qt pot where I assembled the mixture. The dinner was a huge hit with our family. Our two year old even asked for seconds.
Served with/on white rice.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Sean. Thank you for sharing that feedback with us!